Do you remember when you first found out the ‘truth’ about Santa Claus? I was probably one of the last of my friends to actually succumb to the reality. I can remember being on the large soccer field at my elementary school in California and arguing passionately with the other kids about the existence of Santa Claus. I tried to explain to everyone how I had seen this television program where they discussed the Santa sitings that had occurred at the north pole. Why didn’t they believe me? I mean I had concrete evidence. I was absolutely convinced that the other kids had it ALL wrong. Which was fine because I knew that if you didn’t believe, then you certainly were not going to end up on the ‘nice’ list, and that was fine because perhaps Santa would just drop off all those non-believers presents at my house.
My brother and I used to wake up really early in the morning on Christmas. He would come and lay in my bed with me while we waited until the clock said 6:00AM (which was when we could go into my parents room). We would lay there quietly, starring at each minute go by on the clock and try to fall asleep. We never could fall asleep because our hearts were racing with the thoughts of Santa actually coming to our house. And I swore I heard jingle bells on the roof.
I don’t remember the exact moment when I found out, but I can distinctly remember the very first Christmas where I knew the ‘truth’. I just sort of felt sad, like the magic and excitement had been taken away. It was almost like I was mourning the loss for this person I once knew. Now, don’t get me wrong, Christmas has always been an amazing holiday in my family, but things just didn’t feel the same that first year, something was missing. Of course as the years passed, the holiday took on an entirely different meaning.
So what has me thinking about the magic of Christmas? Well, this is the first year that my kids are really, really into the idea of Santa Claus…….especially my 3.5 year old, Savannah Rose. Yesterday we had a big discussion about the naughty and nice list and many other aspects of Santa Claus. So far I have received all kinds of questions from her:
~Is Santa still up on our roof?
~Where does Santa live?
~What kind of clothes do the elves wear?
~How long does it take to get to the north pole?
~Is it always snowing at the north pole?
~Can I go to the north pole?
~Why can’t I go to the north pole?
~Can I ride in Santa’s sleigh?
~Who takes care of Santa’s reindeer?
~Do you think Mrs. Finkler (her preschool teacher) will be on the naughty or nice list?
Chatting with Savannah about all these different questions has brought back a sense of magic and wonder that I can feel in our house. I can remember the excited feeling I once had thinking about Santa Claus and I guess our own kids have a way of bringing that back out in us. The innocence of a child is a beautiful thing and I feel so blessed to be able to experience the complete magic and wonder surrounding Christmas with my children. Yes, someday they too will find out the ‘truth’, but those years and years of excitement are certainly worth it!
Lindsay Wilkes is the owner and designer behind The Cottage Mama. She creates timeless, vintage inspired sewing patterns for children’s clothes. She is also a fabric designer for Riley Black Designers / Penny Rose Fabrics, author of the book ‘Sew Classic Clothes for Girls’ and can be seen teaching nationwide and online in her video series ‘Lessons with Lindsay’ sponsored by Baby Lock Sewing and Embroidery machines.
Oh, my, I was just talking about this tonight. When do you tell your kids the “truth”? Sorry, but I don’t want to carry that burden? Hmm.. I may have to think and comment again when I am not too tired, but I really think at the front side of this age it is very exciting and fun. Enjoy your children and relish the memories.
Merry Christmas!
Little Susie Home Maker
I couldn’t remember that moment until I read your story. Then it hit me! I was at my grandparents house and couldn’t sleep.. I then heard my parents talking about putting together the presents! At our house Santa doesn’t wrap eveything. My mom did marketing, so everything was laid out in this nice array with an assortment of wrapped and unwrapped and some things put together already. But I think I had knew something was up previously… I had caught on that Santa had the same wrapping paper we did… hmmmm… Love the questions you’ve been asked. I have a 3 year old as well. He has been talking about Santa for weeks. The other day we had to make him a paper bag puppet becuase Santa doesn’t have one. ‘He only has toys made out of wood.’ 🙂 Ok, this is a really long comment! Glad to be a new follower!
I must have been about seven, when I pulled my mother on the fact that the parcels which Santa Claus had left for me had tags written in her writing. As quick as a flash, she looked me in the eye and told me that he had gone to her school and that is why the wrote in the same way! Yes, Santa went to a Loretto Convent, just outside Dublin… and not many people know that except you and me!
Hee hee, I’m chuckling at the idea of Santa going to a convent here (comment above).
Anywho, my parents never made a big thing of Santa – I got some little things from Santa, but I never did the list writing and things. I think I probably knew from the age of about 6, we were pretty cynical in our primary school!
I held onto the Santa longer than my friends as well. It was hard because the kids next door were quite a bit older and Jehovah’s Witnesses so they kept trying to set my brother and I straight.
My oldest is 7 and he has Down Syndrome so he partially understands Christmas. My 3 year old is all about Christmas this year. She’s singing Christmas carols from Mother’s Day Out and she begged us to set up the Christmas tree on Thanksgiving. She wants to do everything now including bake Santa’s cookies. We’re having a hard time explaining the wait process. We have an advent calendar so hopefully that will help with the concept of time.
What do you mean Santa isn’t real????
My mom always said you did not get anything if you did not believe. i had younger brothers and sisters so we always had Santa and I was always excited every year when I lived at home. and even when I had my own kids I loved to believe there really was one. my brother and his wife did not let their kids believe and I thought it was so sad. you are only little once and it is a beautiful time of year with all sorts of fun beliefs. Linda Gerig who hopes Santa brings her something this year and I am 64.
what “truth” about Santa are you talking about?? have I missed something???
YOU STOP BELIEVING AND YOU GET UNDERWEAR!!!! SO I AGREE WITH YOU
I remember not telling my parents I knew for about 2-3 years because I thought they would be sad that I was growing up! Haha. I don’t recall how they found out though.
oh the magic of Christmas! My 3-yo granddaughter is wanting to know if Santa is going to give Jesus presents and she has been singing Happy Birthday to Jesus. I love it!!
Santa still fills the stockings at my house….and always will.
“Yes. Virginia, there is a Santa Claus. He exists as certainly as love and generousity and devotion exist and you know that they abound and give to your life its highest beauty and joy! The most real things in the world are those that neither children nor men can see!” Love that story!!! 1897
Hi! I’m a new reader to your blog. Just happened upon it and really enjoy it! I wanted to comment about the Reindeer and North Pole. I moved to Alaska several years ago and discovered there is a Reindeer Farm where I lives (Palmer, AK. Also, there is a town called North Pole Alaska which one can actually drive to. It all makes the magic of Christmas just that much more real. I have yet to see Santa flying around in his sleigh but I have seen his reindeer (fed and petted them).
Happy Holidays!
You can find William Reindeer Farm on Facebook. 🙂
Mh…at our place the little Christkind brought the presents. The bell rang and I could enter the living room, seeing the tree and the presents for the first time. I must have been 3 or 4, arguing with my Dad that there was no Christkind. He showed me a reflection in the window. ” No, Dad, that’s just the bathrrom lamp.” No matter how hard my parents tried, I never believed in it. Mayby it also had to do with the fact that in some families the Christkind brought the presents, while in others the Weihnachtsmann (Santa Claus). And I saw American movies about Santa Claus, who was the Weihnachtsmann, but had the name of Saint Nicolaus, who came on 12/6. All very confusing. My poor mother still laments the fact I never believed : ).